Character Clues

Character Analysis

Names

What's in a name? If Alice Walker's Meridian is any example, then there's whole lot just waiting to be discovered.

It's easy to see the symbolism of Truman's name: he's a "true man." This concept is laced with irony. Although Truman has many positive male attributes, he has his fair share of negative ones too, like his belief that Meridian "belonged to some other man" because she had already lost her virginity (2.18.25). Similarly, his firm belief in the equality of all is tempered by his admitted belief that "getting rid of a bitch is simple, for bitches are dispensable" (2.17.29). So yes, Truman is a true man, contradictions and all.

On the other hand, we know that Meridian's name is important from the get-go. Not only is it the title of the book, but it's also helpfully defined for us before the opening chapter. How convenient. A meridian is "the highest point reached by a heavenly body" or the "apex" of something. In many ways, that's exactly what Meridian is—a selfless, fearless individual who reaches a higher plane than any of her peers. Similarly, meridians are linked to the idea of the "center" or "middle"—just like Meridian, who is "deplored by people who consider themselves revolutionists" and "traditionalists" alike (3.34.3). In both of these instances, a closer look at the characters' names reveal a great deal about their inner lives.

Sex and Love

We're pretty sure that there's not a single healthy sexual relationship in Meridian. That's a bummer for the characters, but a win for us: you can learn a lot more from a messy relationship than a perfect one.

Meridian faces a shocking amount of sexual abuse over her life. There's Daxter and "The Voice," two funeral home workers who molest Meridian in her early teens. There's Professor Raymonds, a creepy professor who would make her "sit on his lap" before paying her for her after-school job (1.14.105). These deeply troubling experiences shape the person the Meridian becomes, as they show her just how difficult it can be to be a woman in this world.

In Truman's case, we're shocked to discover his misogynistic views on sexuality. At first, we see him through Meridian's rose-colored glasses. It isn't long until their relationship goes awry, however, with Truman making the adventurous choice of exclusively sleeping with white students. Later, we learn that Truman dumped Meridian because "he [...] had been raised to expect and demand a virgin" (2.18.23). These revelations complicate our view of Truman and reveal how misogyny can exist in even the most seemingly progressive dudes.

Thoughts and Opinions

Often, our deep-seated thoughts and opinions define us as much as our actions. In fact, no matter how much we try to bottle it up, our subconscious has a nasty habit of rising up to the surface.

Take Lynne for example. Although Lynne does a lot of good work, we can't help but be skeptical of her because of her sometimes icky motivations. Think about when she mocks the old religious lady for believing that "God fixes the road in front of [her] house" with pure "Northern logic" (1.14.30). Think about when she shamefully admits that, to her, "the black people of the South were Art"—that is, objects to be admired rather than real people with hopes and dreams (2.16.3). While her actions are generally good, Lynne's thoughts reveal sometimes twisted beliefs about race.

Similarly, Anne-Marion's opinions on wealth shape our understanding of her. While Meridian believes that wealth is inherently evil, Anne-Marion simply wants "to have the same opportunity to make as much money as the richest white person" (1.15.7). And Anne-Marion gets her wish! She ends up living a relatively easy life writing "poems [about] [...] the quality of the light that fell across a lake she owned" (3.28.27). In this instance, Anne-Marion's opinions help us understand the pitfalls many activists fall into, as well as showing just how special Meridian is.